The Meeting on Campus Program
Fresh out of the army, Israeli college students are deciding their future. What career path do I want to pursue? Where do I see myself in 10 years? How do I want to raise my children?
Many are seeking a spiritual connection, and some can even articulate that they’d like to connect more deeply to their Jewish heritage.
At the same time, college administrators now understand how crucial it is for nonreligious students to get to know all segments of Israeli society despite their different lifestyles. They recognize how learning Torah can enrich their students and strengthen their Jewish identity. They don’t need to be convinced. They want to provide quality programming for their students.
Three years ago, Kesher Yehudi answered this need by creating a Chavruta Program in conjunction with several Israeli colleges like Michlelet Tel Chai.
Kesher Yehudi recruits volunteers from nearby religious communities to learn with students once a week. Once a month, all the volunteers and students gather together for an activity or Shabbaton in the local Orthodox community. Participating students can receive up to two credits per semester.
With additional programs beginning at Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheva, the Peres Center in Rechovot, and Michelet Emek Israel, Kesher Yehudi is already making a difference for students in Israel’s world of secular higher education.
The Impact
Through it’s Meeting on Campus Program, Kesher Yehudi is breaking stigmas by connecting individuals from different segments of Israeli society.
Many students are hesitant at first to learn with someone they perceive as being so different from themselves. But those differences quickly dissolve when the students realize how “normal” their new religious friend is and how enjoyable it is to learn together. Through Torah learning and discussion, the students are inspired and moved in a way they never thought possible.
Help us to expand our Meeting on Campus Program to even more colleges and universities across Israel. With your donation, we can connect secular college students to their Jewish identity, build unlikely friendships and ultimately create achdus (unity) among the next generation of Israeli Jews.
“Kesher Yehudi’s program is an amazing break in routine for me each week. I’ve gotten to know my chavruta through heart-to-heart discussions. We learn about different Jewish topics and explore new ideas. Even though it’s just a short time each week, I learn so much and it just makes me so happy.”
– Keren Golani, Michlelet Tel Chai
“Kesher Yehudi is like a gift. I never knew how much there was to learn.”
Ayelet Tzuriel, Michlelet Tel Chai
